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Living with a doberman. Guest post by Satish. Blog marathon post 25

The kids had settled down well in the UK and loved the place. I
guess not having to learn Hindi, Sanskrit nor having any homework to do, helped
a lot in the process. When we moved back from the UK to India there were a
number of groans and moans. We had to throw in a carrot to offset the huge
level of pressure that they would go through, settling back in to the Indian
educational system.

Preeti always loved animals and my son takes after Preeti in this regard.
As a child I too was fond of dogs until my brother was badly bitten by two Pomeranians.
I have been wary of dogs ever since.

However, with an extra-large
heart and without realizing what I was getting in to, I bravely volunteered to
get a dog for the kids when we got back to India. I think I was partly clouded by
what I had seen in the UK. When people take their dogs for walks in the UK,
there is no leash. The dog walks calmly next to their owners (even the frisky
puppies). There is no running around or pulling. It’s amazing. My theory is
that even the dogs are affected by the cold weather there and become docile.

The kids loved the idea and promised to study hard. Preeti was
thrilled but asked me a number of times if I was sure. She said it was like
having another child and asked if I realised the work involved? With a wave of
my hand, I dismissed her concerns and told her I was fine. We should go ahead
and get a dog. I went to the extent of telling her that I would even help her
by taking the dog out for walks.

Most management schools teach you to be close to the problem as well
as the decision making. Guess I was too busy at that time or had slept off when
that particular aspect was being taught. I delegated the decision making to
Preeti and my son without realizing the consequences. Guess what they chose and
got? A Doberman.

Lostris in 'Guard' mode.

The first couple of days were ok. Lostris was a puppy. She remained
in a large empty carton (we cut off the top and put in some blankets and she
was cozy) we had got for her till we bought her a big crate. She was tiny and could not come out of the carton.
She started to teeth and nipped everything in sight her favourite toy being my
formal trousers, our wooden furniture and anything else in attacking distance
of her. She then started slowly escaping from the box. At that time, we lived
in a duplex penthouse and we put a grill
at the top of the staircase since we did not want her to fall down the stairs.
She would remain on top and whenever I came back from office she would run
around my legs.

Lostris was always the early
bird and would whine top of her voice early in the morning until my sleep was
disturbed and I got out of bed and took her to the garden, for her morning
job. She is jet black in colour and one
day when someone came home she barked this really scary bark all of a sudden
and charged at the person. We caught her just in time and prevented a heart
attack. Her bark can chill your blood. Preeti insisted the new baby sleep in
our room on the floor. Every time I walked in she would make a beeline for me
and nip. If someone rang the bell in the morning and I got out of bed I
carefully checked to see if she was asleep before creeping out, or else the
task of opening the door went to Preeti.
She could not jump up on the bed so at times I would sneak in to the
bedroom and charge and climb on top of the bed. All she could do was come down
my side and try and get up. I would gleefully look down and felt I had won the
battle. I did win those battles but did not realise I had lost the war.

Lostris in one of her 'Am-i-not-cute' moments

Preeti bought me the book Marley and me which I read at one shot and
found so many common things between Lostris and Marley. It was amazing but a
bit late in the day. We already had the Indian version of a bigger Marley with
us. I don’t know how or when but
suddenly she became huge. It felt like it happened over night. One jump and she
could cross our 6X6 bed, so I was no longer the king of my palace (read bed).
She seemed to be exacting her revenge on me for the days when I would gloat at
her from on top of the bed. Every time I
went out for even two seconds, she would make a bee line for my side of the bed
and start to sleep there (never Preeti’s side of the bed mind you). Every
morning she would, at what seemed like midnight to me, create a ruckus till my
sleep completely went (Sundays and holidays included). And once she was done
with her job she would go and sleep peacefully. I would close my door so that
she could not enter. But this is no ordinary dog. It’s a Doberman so what does
she do? She stands on her hind legs and with her front legs opens the door. I kid
you not. A friend who did not believe this and did not lock the door, nearly
croaked it in fright, when Lostris opened the door herself and bounded it in to
the room.

Every day when I take Lostris for a walk I meet at least 15 dog
owners. Not one of them pulls or barks or acts naughty in any way. Lostris of
course ensures I exercise well by developing my muscles especially my arms (I
have to hold on to her with all my strength to prevent being yanked off my
feet). She tries to eat every old rotten banana on the road and once she has it
in her mouth, she gives me this look (what you going to do kind of look). The
rotten banana is always tastier than all the fresh nice ones we buy every day (and
we buy them since she likes them so much).

And the coup-de grace is of course when I wear my Nike shorts. They
are stylishly cut and a little short in length. If ever Lostris sees me
standing on the balcony in my shorts then she adopts the Nike line “Just do
it”. She comes and puts her nose right up my shorts and that startles the life
out of me. And if I am sitting cosily on a beanbag watching a cricket match she
has to come and bark at me, plonk herself on top of me on the beanbag or stand
in such a way that I miss the match. At times when I twist to see a ball the
remote button gets pressed changing the channel. Another favorite pastime of
hers is taking my clothes and running around. It’s impossible to catch her
since she is so fast. So the best you can do is ignore it and hope and pray
that she does not tear them since she has sharp teeth. Of course it makes you
even more tidier since you learn to put away things and lock your cupboard.

Lostris has her set of friends. There are the garden lizards,
squirrels, frogs and one particular milkman on a Luna. Every time without fail
when she is let out in to the garden her first act is to stand on two legs and
bark at the lizards and squirrels. At night she has to chase and hassle froggie
or else both won’t get a sound night’s sleep. In the morning she will run like
someone possessed faster than Malinga’s Yorkers from one gate to the other
barking angrily at the milk guy.

Our lives have changed after
we got the dog. My son does not want to
leave her and come on a holiday anywhere because of Lostris even if she is put
up in good dog boarding place. Every time we go out Preeti keeps looking at the
watch since she wants to get back home and be with Lostris. Even my daughter is now very
fond of Lostris and keeps petting her and in fact gives her more attention than
me. Can you beat that?

All of it sometimes make me wish that I could turn the clock back
and be able to take the decision of importing one of those docile dogs from the
UK who would lie down near my feet and watch cricket with me or maybe not have
a dog at all. But when I see the joy on the children’s and Preeti’s face when
Lostris comes in I realise that it is worth it and the sacrifice I am making is
quite small.

In fact Lostris is also very fond
of me and though I don’t tell the others I too have grown fond of her. Yes we
will have our share of bullying each other but end of the day if you had to
live life I guess live it like a King rather than a pauper. Similarly if you
had to have a dog (and I would hasten to add think a million times before you
jump in to it) then get a Doberman and not any other breed.

Comments

LOl,loved your post Satish..We don't have a pet at home since both me and husband are scared of poor animals..I know its sad but thats the case..But I am sure my daughter who is very fond of cats is surely going to get one home soon...

@Sridevi - 3 dogs and no Dobe. Hmmm you dont believe in living life king size. Your poor Dad. One and I am up the wall. I can imagine what heis going through, unless he has imported some from the UK ;)@Anu - Thank you. Daughters have a way of worming things out of their Dad's. Keep a close eye on what he agrees to or soon you will have a farm at home :D

Hi Satish,Very nice post.. brought smile on my face.. :) I didn't know there is dog boarding place in Bangalore..That's really nice. Sure when ever I get a pet it will be dobe. Lostris is so cutee.. :)

@Rachana. Thanks :) If Lostris and Chocolate could read I guess they would have something different to comment about the post ;)@Ritu :D Will try and write more. Just dont get time. Hmmm a few more pets and you could actually make a cricket team. They may pla better than the Indian team in Australia. Can you imagine. A fielder going to catch the ball with a Dobe on his tail. :)@PK - yep true. They call me lean mean fighting machine. Well actually its the Dobe who is called that but I am after all part owner so can take the liberty and adopt the title eh?@Avina Viegas. Thanks :) Hmmm ya the shorts are real cool. But when a Dobe suddenly puts her snout up, somehow you cant seem to see the lighter side of it. :D@NM - Thanks. Would be really funny to let lostris loose in a packed office. The building would get empty in a few seconds I am sure. Perfect emergency evacuation plan :D Yeah LOstris is indeed Preeti's third baby. I get lesser attention nowadays :( @Durga - Thank you @Gayu - I must say the men in your family seem wise :) Thanks so much for your words. Much appreciated. :)@Nitu - Thanks. Yes there are a number of places where you can board dogs. But of course of those Preeti and Atul like only a couple so we board Lostris there. If not well I have to handle it and am sure the experience will give me feed for a new post on Lostris and me :D@Horizon - Thanks :)

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